The Planets
by Crayola Crayon
Summary: A story in seven short parts, each based on music from the symphony "The Planets". The Pevensie children learn to deal in their own ways with war, family, and faith. Part 3: Mercury, The Winged Messenger
1. Mars, The Bringer of War

Author's note: This will be a series of seven short ficlets, each of them inspired by a movement in Gustav Holst's symphony "The Planets". They were written as I listened to each piece and I recommend you do to. They're wonderful bits of music. I know that they're on YouTube. They're written in changing points of view, but follow one story. I'm trying to get into the heads of the various Pevensie children. I hope to write something a bit more action-packed soon. In the meantime, though, I hope you enjoy.

I'm uploading this without having it beta-read. If anybody would like to beta the rest of the chapters, please feel free to e-mail me or say so in a review. I'd greatly appreciate it!

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**Mars, The Bringer of War**

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Going to war does not get easier.

I know this because my brother and I have done it several times now. No matter how we train or learn or how old we are, a part of me will always be the scared child staring down from the cliffs at Beruna.

We are not at Beruna today. We are north of it, in a valley between old and worn mountains. They rise up on either side of us, silent and foreboding witnesses of our struggle. This is an ancient land.

Ettinsmoor.

We have come today to slay giants, and nothing will turn us back except total victory.

Or, though we try not to think it, total defeat.

Our scouts report that we outnumber the giants by nearly three-to-one, but when one factors in their size we are nearly evenly matched. The area we have chosen is marked by tall, rolling hills in a long valley between the mountains. As our army marches forward this morning we know that the next crest will bring us the sight of the giants.

Peter leads the middle charge. He's riding his unicorn mount from Beruna, both because they are used to fighting together and even more so to inspire our people. I am momentarily struck by awe of my older brother. He is so different than the boy who fought the witch's army a scant few years ago, and yet so very much the same. His armor gleams and his head is held high and I know that our army will follow him no matter the circumstances.

I will too.

I have control of the right flank, Phillip's solid form below me. I know how lucky I am to have such a sure and trusty companion in battle. We move forward at a steady march and I watch the peak grow ever closer. As we near it I am afforded our first view of our enemy.

They are across a deep field, their soldiers not nearly so structured as our army, but mighty in their own right. They vary in size, but even the smallest are easily twenty feet tall. Their leader is not the tallest, but he would still tower over most trees. Their armor is so large that it could stand in for housing for most of my regiment.

I steel myself and gaze about me at our troops, trying to gauge their reaction. Few of them have fought giants before, myself included. They are an awesome sight, but I cannot allow their size to intimidate my men.

We have come today for Narnia. It is my job to see that we do her justice.

I see Peter pause atop his hill and wait as the ranks form about him. He raises Rhindon high above his head, flashing in the noonday sun. The wind carries me his battle cry.

"FOR NARNIA!"


	2. Venus, The Bringer of Peace

Author's Note: Wow, I am lame. I really meant to update this sooner, but as always life got in the way. You can be reassured that the next few pieces are close to or completely done, so you shouldn't have to wait as long for them... I hope.

This piece is written to the second movement of The Planets, which is a slower, calmer piece than the last. You'd think that it would be a happy, quick tune, but I feel it's far more solemn and subdued. It's a peace that comes directly after war, and you can hear that in it.

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**Venus, The Bringer of Peace**

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The sun was setting in the west, but I was gazing north.

We won here today. That should be enough to cheer any king, and indeed it was enough for many of my subjects, who would soon be celebrating over a raging bonfire. They needed the outlet. Small patrols were working their way through the hillsides and cleaning up, but truly the battle was over. Peace had been returned to Narnia.

A peace that had its costs.

Everything does, of course, battles simply more dramatically than most things. I had been learning to deal with this fact since we came to Narnia, and I suppose I would always be offered lessons in it.

_Ed..._

Unlike me, my subjects rarely seemed upset at the costs of war. They understood what was asked of them and I could that after the long winter of Jadis's rule they were proud to have a Narnia once again worth sacrificing for.

Still, I could not help but wish for what could have been. My mind mulled over what I could have done to prevent this battle, though I knew that nothing less than the battle we'd waged would have turned back the Ettins. They'd lurked at Narnia's borders for months, and their repeated intrusions into our land were growing increasingly bold.

I knew the names of each soldier we lost. Tomorrow morning we'd hold a small ceremony for them. It was Narnian tradition to honor the dead at the beginning of a new day. It was supposed to symbolize the new beginning for those who had passed into Aslan's realm, and to take our our mind off of the life that had been lost.

Still, I could not shake the feeling that I was mourning something more than just the loss of soldiers. This sorrow was too deep, too profound.

"Peter?"

I turned to see my brother walking up the hill, slower than he normally would and paler than I liked to see him, but alive. I frowned. "You should be resting."

He reached me gave me a level look, "So should you." His words were quiet and shallow, another reminder of his injuries.

He'd been thrown from Phillip during the battle and his head was bandaged from a small cut along the side of his head. He'd just missed losing the top of his ear. I was also glad to see that he'd changed his tunic. He'd suffered a long gash across his stomach that our healers assured me was superficial, but looked positively horrible. He'd tried to joke with me about how Phillip would never let him live it down, but I wasn't much for the banter after seeing my brother's steed anxiously pacing outside of the healing tent, nearly inconsolable.

For me, I'm afraid that the sight of Edmund lying on a battlefield with blood across the front of his tunic will never be far from my mind. Today, seeing him lying in the tent pale and still, it was as if my worst nightmares had come to life.

How long would it be before they actually did?

"You should join the troops, Ed. You lost a lot of blood and this exertion can't be healthy."

I could see his mind working behind dark eyes. The sun's last rays worked to give a little color to his ashen face, but I knew that he was in pain. He nodded and began to turn away, but stopped. "Peter," he started, paused, and forged ahead. "Please do not dwell on what could have been... or even what may be. Content yourself, for now, with what is." I could hear something in his words that made me think they weren't his own, but I paid it little attention.

"Go eat dinner. I'll be fine."

Tonight my people celebrated, but as their High King I could not.


	3. Mercury, The Winged Messenger

Author's Note: Mercury is a short little song and so this is a fittingly short little bit of the story. Not that the other two were very long, I suppose.... They'll be getting a bit longer later, I feel. I hope. I feel guilty only writing little tiny fics like this for some reason.

Lucy is such a fun person to write from. She's all sweetness and light. It's hard to write her in anything but really happy stuff, like this. Hopefully I'll get to try my hand at both, though.

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**Mercury, The Winged Messenger**

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It was noon, the sky was a bright and clear blue, and I watched the horizon for a sign.

And I waited.

I was permitted, when my brothers were away, to spend my days mostly in Cair Paravel's towers. Susan at these times needed something to keep her mind off of their absence and took to taking care of the entire castle singlehandedly.

So great was her need to be doing something that on the more calm days I sent select members of the Cair to create small disturbances and problems for Susan to fix.

Susan needed things to keep her mind occupied. I always found that my mind during these times wouldn't focus on anything for very long, and I tended to find myself in Susan's way when I did try to help. So even with my meddling Susan asked little of me during these days and I was very happy to oblige her.

I spent my time idly awaiting news of their victory.

I used the towers because I knew that when the news came, it would come by air.

It was coming now.

Takreet was one of our best and strongest messengers and as a hawk easy to spot against the blue sky. He did not fly in tiny loops like the smaller birds, or in a razor straight line like the geese, but in a pattern of majestically spiraling upwards and then swooping down. He once told me that he was riding pockets of hot hair.

I think it sounds wonderful.

I knew that with his sharp eyes he would see me waiting in the parapets but I could not help but wave at him. It was a windy day and my dress waved about me like the flags flying above the castle. Only two flags flew atop the highest tower today, but I knew that there would be four soon.

With a cry of greeting he landed on the stone next to me and bobbed his head in a bow.

"Good sir, what news have you of my brothers?" I asked, dispelling with formalities in my impatience.

Takreet couldn't quite smile, having a beak and all, but I could hear his amusement. "Good news, my queen. Your brothers are victorious this night past."

"This night past?" I exclaimed. "Why, you must have flown all night!"

Beaks also make it difficult to look sheepish, but somehow Takreet managed just by ducking his head. "Yes, milady, I felt the news deserved a speedy delivery. The giants have been routed. The kings will be returning in a sennight."

Seven days! It seemed an eternity to think of it now, but I knew that it would pass. What's more, my brothers would be returning home safe. There could be no better news.

"Thank you, Takreet. I'm sure our generals are awaiting your report." He bowed again at the dismissal and I returned the formality, my anxiety about my brothers quelled. "And when you are through with that, please find the nicest roost we have and rest for as long as you'd like. If you need anything, you have only to ask it."

He bowed again and with a great flap of his wings he took to the sky, wheeling about and giving a long, piercing shriek that finally alerted the castle to his return as he left to give his official report.

That cry has often been an ominous sign, but tonight it was as sweet as the softest bell.

My brothers were coming home.


End file.
